Hard Times
by silberquelle
Summary: Different World, same characters, and none is who he seems to be... wish you great fun! please RR took a bit longer this time...sry...
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone!**

So this is my fist FF...ever...really...this was an idea I had fore quire a long time and I coundn't find anything like this so I started writing it;) hope some of you like it...it's a bit strange I know...so please tell me if you find a mistake (I'm sure there isn't only one :/)

Wish you great fun,

Silberquelle;)

It was a dark and stormy night on the Planet of Kinmoku when a black car was making his way along a gravel path. The lightning flashed and the thunder rolls as if they were just trying to drown the sobbing of a 17year old girl who was sitting in that car cuddling up with many others. There were many of them, from every part of the universe, there was a little red-haired girl from Radyr, thousands of light years away from home, a muscular fair haired woman from a planet called GrT65. One for every taste. But they had two thing in common, 5 numbers cut in their upper arm and an uncertain future.

The 17year old girl with the number 93584 was wearing some kind of jute bag with a rope as belt. Her hairs was raven black and short, they were not allowed to ware their hair long because it would be a too big expenditure to keep them clean. She had that number on her upper arm since she was a baby. Her parents had them too. 'Only valuable people don't have them...', she thought to herself as the car stopped suddenly making them all fall forward. In the front someone war getting out of the car, they could hear it clearly, heavy steps on the gravel followed and all of a sudden the door was fling open. 5 men were standing outside. The girls knew the 2 of them wearing long black coats, the others looked quite official in their armament. They spoke a language non of the girls understood. 'We must be very far away from home', the black-haired girl thought trying not to cry when thinking of what has happened and what will happen to her.

Next morning...

In huge bright bedroom, decorated with gold and obviously expensive textile a queen-to-be turned round once more in her bed not willing to hear her alarm clock. She hadn't slept all night listening to the thunderstorm. Although she would never leave the castle during such a storm she loved listening to it, it made her feel safe and powerful at the same time. A knocking on the door took her back to reality, it was 7 o'clock in the morning and time for the royal breakfast with the ministers and her guards. 'Are you awake, your highness?, a soft voice from the outside asked. 'No', the short royal answer. A chuckle. 'I'm coming in now', slowly the door opened and a tall thin woman with long brown hair entered. 'You were expected be dressed and ready for meeting the ministers by now, your highness', she said as she knelt down. 'Stop that official behaviour, Maker. You know I don't like that'-'I'm sorry but this is the protocol.', the brown haired woman rouse from the floor and made her way over to the princess. Lifting the blanket she smiled down at her protége. 'Will you get up or do I have to carry you in the bathroom?'

'Did something happen last night', the princess asked her guard while having a great warm shower to wake up, 'I thought I heard something at the main entrance.' 'The new slaves arrived, the once your father bought two weeks ago at the great marked', Maker answered standing in front of the cupboard trying to figure out what was the best for the princes to wear at the royal breakfast, which was nearly over by now anyway.

'Oh, how do they look? Anything interesting?' , the princess asked while putting on the clothes Maker had chosen. 'Not really, mostly maids. Explains the price'. Laughing both headed off for breakfast.

At the entrance to the dining room a silver haired woman was waiting impatiently waiting for her colleague. 'Always the same', she murmured to herself shaking her head, 'you could think our future-queen can't read the watch..'

'What did you just say?'

Healer startled 'Bless god your here! The ministers have been waiting for nearly half an hour now.'

'Are you criticising your queen, guard?' Kakyuu stood on her toes to be as tall as the silver haired woman.

'Future-queen, yes, and now get in there and behave like royalty', Healer answered grinning and opened the door.

2 hours later...

'Bless god it's over...', Kakyuu sighed sitting down on the couch in her apartment, 'I can't believe that every breakfast will be like that when I'm the queen.' 'Believe it, your mother had breakfast like this for nearly 30 years now', Healer sat down on one of the heavy chairs. 'Yes, being queen isn't easy and that was only breakfast...', Maker said while sorting the post on the desk. Pulling face Kakyuu turned to Healer, 'Have you seen the new slaves already? Maker told me they arrived yesterday night.'-'Yes I have, your mother told me to choose one to replace your current maid, hard choice I can tell you.'-'Why?'-'Most of them are just an insult. Seems like they weren't given any food since the king chose them and non of them – really non – understood a word I said.'

'So have you chosen one?'. Maker asked making her way over to them. 'Yes, she must be here soon.' 'What's her name?', the princess asked curious. 'I have no idea, she understood no word, the only thing she said was her ID-number 93584.' 'Nothing else?' 'Nothing else, but I got her file', Healer took a brown folder from the desk and started reading out loud: ID: 93584 ; No name given yet. 17 years old, 1,76m tall 50kg – oh...pretty thin – speaks only her mother tongue, can neither read nor write, blah blah...nothing interesting...oh here is something written by hand: Problem with authorities! And next to it in a different writing: SOLVED! Sounds strange...'

A knocking on the door. 'Yes', the princess responded. 'Your highness, we bring the new maid your guard chose', two soldiers entered the room and bowed. 'Yes, bring her in', the princess said trying to sound like a real queen. 'At your service', the soldiers bowed again and signalled someone at the door to come in.

A tall, thin – although emaciated would have been the right word – girl with short black hair wearing an old maid-dress entered slowly, she was looking as if she was in pain. The soldiers left after bowing another time. As soon as the door closed the girl dropped to her knees and started to cry, shiver and stammer something in a language none of them understood...

For a moment it was completely silent in the room. The Princess, Maker and Healer just stared at the picture of misery in front of them. Then Healer slowly stood up and walked over. Kneeling down she started to stroke the girls back. Not a too good idea, the girl winced and started to cry even harder.

'Let me alone with her', Kakyuu said thoughtful. 'As you wish', Healer and Maker bowed. 'But if you need anything...'-'Then I know where to find you. I'm not a child anymore Maker.' 'Well, sometimes I'm not sure about that', Maker winked while closing the door behind her.

Kakyuu turned around to look at her new possession but the place where the girl hat knelt on the floor was empty. *Just my luck*, the Princess thought while looking around if the slave was still somewere around. There in the corner at the other end of the room she was sitting, pressed against the wall nearly trying to become invisible. It hurt Kakyuu deep in her heart to look her. The girl was a bit younger than herself. So thin that you had to be careful not to break her when touching her. She was pale and had bruises on arms and legs.

Distrustful the girl looked at the princess. 'Get over here', Kakyuu commanded a bit more louder that she had intended and gave the slave a sighn with her hand to come over. 'What did I do? I shouldn't have talked without permission, oh no...how could I have forgotten that?', shivering the girl got up and one step after the other she came closer. As soon as she reached the princess she dropped to her knees. Quickly the princess caught her shoulders, 'no, not like this', she said pulling the girl on the couch making her sit next to her 'sit down next to me, ok?' The girl looked confused, what was going to happen?

'I am the princess', Kakyuu said slowly pointing at herself. The girl didn't seem to understand. The princess shook her head, then she had an idea. She reached over to the table in front of the couch and took a photo album. It had the royal arms on it. The girl starred at the arms *That can't be true*, the girl thought. The princess opened the album showing a photo of herself at a dance last year with her parents. She was wearing a long blue-golden dress and an awfully expensive looking crown.

The girls starred at the picture with horror, 'The princess Kakyuu', she tought about all the awful stories slaves told her in the camp a few weeks ago, 'I'm doomed.'

'You must be hungry!', the princess interrupted her thoughts. She jumped up and got a big plate from the dining table in the centre of the room and placed it in front of the girl. On the plate were all kinds of fruit. The girl looked at it with big eyes. Was she allowed to take some or was this just to test her behaviour? You must not eat in front of your owner, she knew that but she was so hungry that she would have taken the beating just to get one of these apples. The princess looked at her expecting something to do. But what was the right thing to do? Slowly ID 93584 moved her hand, oh my god, for how long she hadn't gotten anything to eat, it must have been weeks. The apple felt cold in her hand and it tasted like heaven on earth. She would have never expected an apple to taste that good.

From the corner of her eye she watched the princess just in case...but the princess was just smiling at her.

'What's your name?', the princess asked slowly. No answer. She pointed at her new servant 'Do – you – have –a – name?' she asked again. The other girl looked at her seeming to get nervous '93584' was the answer this time. '93584 is not a name. What shall we call you?' The girl reached for an other apple, trying to figure out what the princess wanted her to answer. When the only sentence she knew in this language came to her mind: 'Whateveryouwant.' The princes looked at her surprised, what the girl said sounded more like echoism than an actual sentence. 'Where did you get that from?', the princess said wondering while looking for the file Healer brought with her before but it was gone. That was when she saw the label on the apple the girl held in her left hand, it said 'Seiya' the name of the royal orchard. 'Well, here we have a name', the princess thought smiling and sitting back on the couch.

To be continued...

Hope you liked it...please write me a short review;)

Kisses,

Silberquelle


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Healer and Maker were sitting in the hall, just in case their princess needed them, when suddenly the main door opened and 5 armed soldiers entered. The two guards jumped from their seats 'What do you want?', Maker placed herself in front of the door to the princess' room. 'We have news from the front.' – 'What kind of news?' – 'News for the princess and not for your ears.' One of the soldiers just lifted Maker as if she was as light as a feather and put her byside. Then they entered the room. 'Your highness', the soldiers bowed 'We have news from the rebellion.'-'Of course, please enter', the princess answered and showed them to sit at the dining table. She took place at the head of the table. Healer and Maker stood behind her. 'What is it? What happened there?'-'The rebellion was put down about 4 weeks ago.'-'Wonderfully'-'Yes, but we didn't succeed in arrest the heads. We arrested over 50 people, but none of interest...

****Flashback****

A little village in the mountains at the other half of the planet, An army of 10,000 men wandering around searching every house. In the middle of the village around 50 people were keeling on the ground watched over by heavily armed soldiers. Most of the people wore army or at least greed clothes. Next to them was a heap of arms, mostly old and used looking machineguns. Obviously a paramilitary unit. 'Find Them!', a tall man with many medals on his uniform shouted furiously. It just couldn't be, they planned this operation against the slave-rebels for over 5 months and it was a disappointment, again. Just like all the other operations before. They couldn't have known, that was just not possible. But it always happend the same: the army reaches their hiding place, there about 50 men hardly armed, hardly fighting back, and a mockery-letter. * They couldn't have known, they couldn't have known *, he told himself again and again. It was a disgrace, the whole royal army was hunting about 4 people (they didn't even know the real number) for over 5 years now and all they had were those letters.

Those slave rebellion started over 5 years ago, and none of the politicians or the royal family really paid attention. A serious mistake they should find out only half a year later. The slaves formed under various leaders, mostly educated slaves or gladiators and started to terrorise the planet, they fought for freedom and when they weren't given their freedom they took it. Hundreds of owners were killed by their slaves brutally.

But there was this one group: about 4 leaders, all four slaves, most likely men, no older than 30, one smoker among them, and they seemed to be invincible. They recruited over 20,000 slaves and seemed to know anything the army was planning.

'What does the letter say this time?', the princess asked. The general took out the letter and started reading out loud:

Dear general, dear princess,

nice try

take care

can't await the day I can carve a number in your upper arm

Ks.

'Not that extraordinary as the others were, but much more aggressive', the princess said thoughtfully 'Do you have the slightest idea who they are?'

'We have no idea. Our specialists are working but there is nothing. Just nothing...According to the other letters at least one of them is very well educated, they are written in old languages, without mistakes, they quote famous warlords. They have strategies, they have medical support, it's just unbelievable.'- 'You said all of them are slaves? Why not make a list. They must have numbers and these numbers must be registrated.' – ' That would take us weeks, your highness. 'Do it. I don't care how long this takes. I want to know WHO THEY ARE!' the princess started to shout angrily. 'At your service', the soldiers got up and were about to leave when the general saw Seiya sitting there on the couch starring at the floor. 'Who is she?', he turned to face the princess. 'My new maid, nothing to worry about', the princess answered pushing the soldiers towards the door.

Healer dropped on the couch next to Seiya 'I can't believe it, do you think they knew?' she looked at the princess. 'I have no idea, somehow scary' the princess answered sitting down on one of the heavy chairs. Glancing at her watch Maker realised it was nearly time for the royal dinner 'Your highness we have to leave, your parents are expecting us at the gardens' – 'Of course', the princess sighed 'Healer, can you take care of her? Show her her new rooms, will you?' she pointed at Seiya. 'As you wish, your highness', Healer answered.

4 hours later...

Maker and Kakyuu made their way back to the princess' appartment. 'Just let me check everything before I let you alone', Maker said with her bossy-I-am-reliable-for-your-life-voice.

'Everything ok' Maker smiled when returning from the balcony. 'Wish you a good night, my princess'-'Could you just have a look at the slave quarters? I want to know if my new maid is alright.' 'Of course, your highness', Maker bowed and left the room.

Of course everything was alright at the slave-quarters and the new maid was sleeping deeply, 'She really needs it, huh?' Maker thought smiling.

Finally she reached Healer's and her apartment. 'What a day' she said loud as she entered the living room. 'Really, how was the royal dinner by the way?', Healer answered handing over a cup of tea. 'Nothing special, the normal nonsense', they both laughed, 'But did our new 'friend' say something?, Maker asked curiously. 'Not really, seems very frightened, I started teaching her some words in our language, quite an intelligent little girl.'-'little? She is nearly taller than I am. Well, whatever, I go to bed now.' Maker rose from her seat and headed for the door to her room. 'Good night', Healer answered yawning. 'Oh, and Healer, you started smoking again?'

'What are you talking about?'

'When I inspect the princess' rooms I found ashes on the balcony. You smoked while taking care of 'Seiya' right?'

'No, I didn't. Maybe one of the other guards.'

'Most likely', Maker started to laugh.

'What's so funny?'

'You remember what the general said? "One smoker"'

'You really need sleep you know', Healer laughed.

'I really need sleep, your right. Till tomorow!', Maker closed the door behind her.

To be continued...

So...hope you liked it...and it is not too boring:/ did my best, pleas drop me a line.

Kisses,

silberquelle


	3. Chapter 3

So here is the new chapter, It's dedicated to Yume-no-Ryuusei, my only reviewer;)

I tried to get things going;) hope it worked, with you great fun;)

Chapter tree

As time went by the situation became more and more serious. You could say the planet was facing civil war. Far away from the fighting, killing and torturing on the other end of the planet the princess, her guards and the heads of the military faced a complely different problem: the 'slave list' was a good idea, but the problem was that over 150 numbers were missing. It was 2 o'clock in the morning and they were desperately seeking for the missing slaves, protocols, obituary notices, letters, it was much more difficult than anyone had expected.

Slowly the door opened, Healer looked up from her writing as Seiya entered with a tray full with coffee and food. She placed it on the table and started to place the cups and plates in front of the others. 'Thanks', the princess said monotonously when she noticed the plate in front of her. 'You're welcome', Seiya answered and bowed. Maker looked at Seiya, it was incredible how fast she had learned the language * talented little girl * she thought. 'what happened to your arm, Seiya?' the princess noticed the blood stains on Seiyas left upper sleeve. Surprised Seiya looked at the sleeve, 'Uhm...it was busy in the kitchen and I bumped into another servant, nothing serious, your highness' – 'I'll take care of that', Healer jumped form her seat. She grabbed Seiya at her arm and pulled her out into the corridor.

'What was that?', the general looked confused at the princess. 'They hang out together the whole time, Healer teaches her how to read and write', was the answer, 'Let's carry on, we have a lot to do.'

'There 152 slaves left, shall we look through every single file?', Maker started the conversation again. ' Our only choice', the general answered, 'Look out for individuals between 20 and 30, educated, maybe former gladiators.'

Two hours later they had the number reduced to 30 possible people.

The door opened and Healer entered 'What took you so long?', Maker looked up from the file she was reading. 'I met the guards responsible for the nightshift. They wanted to discuss the new safety instructions', Healer sat down on her chair exhausted. 'Found anything interesting?'

Suddenly the door flung open and 2 guards entered breathing heavily. 'General, you have to come with us!' the general jumped off his seat 'What happened?'

'A corps was found in the wood behind the castle'

'Who is it?'

'We don't know yet but probably a slave, tall, thin, black hair.'

They looked at each other shocked. Maker stood up 'I come with you. Healer you stay with the princess, lock the door behind you!' 'Of course'

The general, Maker and the other soldiers hurried off and left Healer and the princess alone at the apartment. Maker still held the file she had read when Healer entered in her hand, * It can't be her! It just can't be * They reached the hospital wing 4 minutes later. There the doctor just finished examine the body.

'What happened? Who is it?', Maker nearly screamed.

'ID 93584, the princess' maid.'

'No!', Maker dropped on the chair next to the door and let the file fall to the floor. 'How?'

'There was no fight, one clear cut through the throat. About three weeks ago.'

'What?', Maker jumped from her seat and hurried to the bed. She looked on the body, that was not Seiya. She had never seen that girl before. She looked at her arm: ID 93584, but this was Seiya's ID. * What the hell? * She started walking up and down thinking about what the doctor had said, when her eyes got stuck on the file on the floor. She picked it up and opened it. ID 93534, no name. 23 years, 1,75m, daughter of a gladiator and a maid, grown up at a military base, speaks 6 languages, can drive anything from a motorcycle to a tank. Exactly what they were looking for. She turned the page and froze. There was a picture, it showed Seiya. The picture must be about 3 or 4 years old. She wore a green top and brown sunglasses. She looked much younger and much more muscular than she looked when they met three weeks ago. In her right hand was a machinegun, its barrel rested behind her neck and on her left shoulder. And she had a cigarette in her mouth. * Oh my god!* Maker started to think: 93534 to 93584, 3 to 8, just one line, Seiya's arm, the blood, she corrected it today, Healer took care of it, why didn't she tell her? The ashes on the balcony, Seiya must have smoked when she was alone with...Healer. Seiya learned their language in a few weeks, accentfree, that's not possible. Who taught her?..Healer. She met Seiya tree weeks ago, shortly after the girl was killed, who chose her from the other slaves? Healer...

And as if she knew she looked at the photograph again and there on the left lower corner, in the background a about 17 years old Healer stood, admiring Seiya.

The princess! Suddenly Maker remembered her, she left her, with Healer...and with one of the probably most feared women on the planet.

So what do you think? Liked it?

Kisses,

Silberquelle


	4. Chapter 4

Meanwhile...

Healer closed the door after Maker left and locked it twice * safe is safe* she thought and turned around facing the princess. 'Do you think it's her?', the princess sat down on the couch, 'Where did she go after you left her?' 'I don't think it's her.' Healer slowly started to close all the curtains at the big windows, 'She went nowhere. In fact, she came back with me.'

'What do you mean? How was her arm? What happened? Talk to me, Healer!', the princess got nervous.

'Her arm? Oh yes...', Healer turned around and sat down on one of the big chairs facing the princess, 'She had to correct her ID, you see, 3 to 8. Nothing happened to her today but it's regrettable that they found the corps so fast.' Healer slowly moved her hand between the upholstery and pulled out a gun, 'But why not let her do the talking, I think she's better at that than me.'

Healer turned her head to the balcony-door. Outside there was a small round gleaming, red, aggressive. The door slowly opened. A black leather shoe touched the white marble-floor. It was Seiya but she looked different, wearing bluejeans a black t-shirt and black leatherboots she looked masculine and selfconfident. The cigarette in her mouth gleamed. That was not the girl the queen met a few weeks ago, this was not a maid, this was a warrior. You could tell by every move she made walking over to Healer.

'What are you doing here? I don't understand...what?...', the princess moved from her seat.

'Stay where you are', the princess immediately froze in her move and sank back in her chair. That voice, one sentence, that made clear how serious this situation was.

'I know you don't understand, your highness.', Seiya smiled diabolical. She placed her left hand on Healer's left shoulder, her right hand moved down Healer's right hand and took the gun. Seiya turned her head and kissed Healer on the cheek, who closed her eyes and smiled. Seiya lowered her head and kissed her way down Healers neck to her shoulder. Then she looked directly at the princess, her eyes where gleaming with hate. 'You understand nothing. Living like this, no problems, no trouble, none who tells you what to do. Free. You hide behind your army, you coward!' She took the gun slowly in her hand and pointed at the princess.

'Don't, please!', the princess begged, 'I want to understand. Tell me, explain to me what happened here the last months right before my eyes.'

Seiya sighed 'ok, I'm not an immoral person.' She dropped next to Healer on the chair, still the gun pointed at the princess. 'The night your army attacked us a few months ago I was separated form the group...

*****Flachback******

'Quick, we have to leave', a tall brown-haired man grabbed Seiya by her arm and tried to pull her towards him. 'No, I can't leave her like this', the black-haired woman looked at the bed standing in one edge of the dark and dirty room. In it her sister laid, nearly dead. She was heavily wounded in a battle a few days ago. 'She's going to die anyway, you can't do anything. We have to get you outer here, that's the most important thing at the moment.' The army has attacked half a day earlier than the rebels had thought. 'I do this on my own. Leave, save the others. I'll meet you later.' 'but' 'No, that's an order.'

Suddenly the earth shook, a bright light, and an explosion. Seiya and the man were thrown against the wall. When they could see again the half part of the house was missing. Seiya looked at her companion who lay on top of her. Everything was covered with blood, he breath heavily and he expired blood. 'Run'

Seiya jumped on her feet – one last look at her sister – and hurried out of the door. Outside there was chaos and pure panic. Her people were running around, screaming, crying, looking for their friends in desperation. It was impossible to bring structure into this.

'Kahu!' Seiya turned her head, on the next corner stood her older brother waving his hand. 'Fast, we have to leave!' together they tried to get as many of their followers as they could and left the camp heading for the next wood.

'Why are they here so early?', Seiya breath heavily trying to make her way through the undergrowth.

'I have no idea, did Healer say 9am?', her brother answered.

'Yes she did, her information was always right, I don't understand that.'

'Over there!'

Seiya turned around 'Oh no! They found us! Separate and run!'

They all headed off in different directions. About 20 soldiers were following them. Seiya ran as fast as she could, it was complete silent except of the kracking wood under her and the soldiers feet. She didn't know for how long she was running when she reached a cliff. * Oh no* She stopped and turned around to face the soldiers. 5 tall and muscular men surrounded her. They pointed their machineguns at her. **jump or get executed, jump or get executed,...** Seiyas brain was working like hell. * jump * She turned around, closed her eyes and just jumped. She could feel the bullets pass her but she didn't care...

****Flashback end****

'So this was all show?' the princess looked at her with shock.

'Oh my god, you're really as stupid as Healer told me', Seiya sighed. 'Let's not call it show, it was a necessarily. After I gained consciousness again I tried to find my people again, but they must have thought I was dead and moved on. So I made my way to come here.'

*****Flashback******

Healer was sitting in the garden of the palace reading a book. Something horrible intelligent Maker gave to her, about Quantum Physics or a cookery book, Healer wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. When she heard a cracking in the wood behind her. 'Healer! Healer!', a whisper, she knew that voice, but that couldn't be. She turned around 'Kahu?' 'Shhh! Not that loud', a black-haired tall woman appeared from behind a tree. 'Kahu!', Healer hugged her tightly 'They told me you were dead! Where were you? Oh my god, how do you look? When have you eaten the last time?'

'Let's say it has been a while', the black-haired woman smiled weakly.

'I'll get you something, just stay here', Healer headed off for the kitchen and came back 5minutes later with the rest of the dinner. Kahu sat down on the bench and started to eat.

'What shall we do now? You can't stay out here, you'll freeze in winter.', Healer thought.

'Don't you have an open position at the palace I could take? Maybe near the princess', Kahu grinned wicked.

'Hmm...

to be continued...


End file.
